This disclosure relates to flow splitters, such as those used in gasification reactor systems to divide flow of a fuel mixture.
Fuel, such as pulverized coal, is known and used in the production of synthesis gas or syn-gas (e.g., a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide) in gasification systems. In conventional gasification systems, the fuel is fed through a feed line into a reactor vessel. In the reactor vessel, the fuel mixes and reacts with oxidant to produce the synthesis gas as a reaction product.
A high velocity injector of a gasification system typically includes a plurality of passages through which the fuel and oxidant are injected. In a pentad injector, the fuel is fed through a central passage and the oxidant is fed through four impinging passages such that the oxidant streams impinge upon the fuel stream on the reaction side of the injector.
In a system that utilizes coal, prior to introduction into the gasification system, the coal is pulverized into a carbonaceous particulate material. The particulate material is then entrained in a carrier gas and fed into the high pressure environment of the gasification system. Unlike a liquid fuel that behaves as Newtonian fluid, an ultra-dense phase, pulverized coal stream behaves as a Bingham plastic (at void fractions below 57%), which will plug in the gasification system if the shear stress on the coal falls below its Bingham fluid yield stress. To avoid plugging, the void fraction of the coal in the gasification system is maintained above the 57%. Void fractions above 57% cause non-uniformities in the flow of the coal and poor mixing with the oxidant in the reactor vessel, which prevents the use of high void fraction coal with high velocity, multi-element injectors.